Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-21
A HUNDRED BURGLARIES.

/ once had the pleasure of making a
visit, with the governor of the state of
Illinois, to the peritentiary at Joliet.
There was confined in it at the time q very
noted burglar from the city of Chicago.
The governor had promised that he would
have some conversation with him in re-
gard to an aibi which he claimed to be
able to prove, and which would establish
his innocence of the crime Of which he had
been convicted. had some impression of
the character of this man when | saw the
warden, on sending for him, open a drawer
in his desk, take out a revolver, and put
it in his pocket. The prisoner was brought
in, and the governor listened to the tale of
his alibi. At its conclusion he inquired:
GLOW many burglaries have you ever
committed?'
Il don't know, governor. l never kept
count. | suppose about hundred"
''IOu have been very bad man"
"Who says so, governors"
The governor was taken somewhat
aback, and answered: 1.-The newspapers. {"
"Why, governor, l have seen your
name in the newspapers once Or twice.
If they will say such things about a man
in your position, what must be expected
OF a man III mlle!
He went On to remark that he need
have no hesitation in granting him a par
don, for, though he made no professions
of repentance-it would be absurd to do
that-he had come to the conclusion,
while in prison, that life of crime does
not pay. He had tried it. He had been
all his life burglar, he had robbed
banks, he had had hundreds of thousands
of dollars pass through his hands and he
was just as poor as when he began: and,
having come to that conclusion, be felt
that the governor might safely K. case
him, since he fully meant to quit the
business and follow some other pursuit
for a living
\ LEGITIMATE VOCATION
But, in so far as burglary in itself was
concerned, he wished him to understand
that he regarded it as just as legitimate
vocation in life as the practice of Law
or of medicine-or the preaching of the
Gospel.
The governor asked: 'How do you
make that out?''
"Why, property has certain rights,
powers and privileges. 1t must have
corresponding obligations, and the first
duty of property is TO take care of itself.
If in a country neighborhood there are
three stores doing a general business, and
there is not business enough to support
more than two merchants families, what
happens Two of those merchants COM
bine against the third, and by judicious
application of the laws of trade, they
drive him out of business and divert to
their own pockets the profits which he
otherwise would have made. Everybody
says that is right. Now, what difference
does it make whether this is done by a
judicious use of the laws of trade or by O
more summary process? Why, governor,
you know very well that there are q great
many men in this world who are rich who
have no more right to what they have
than you or L.
''Do 1 understand" said the governor,
''that you conflne yourself in your depre.
| dations to that class of peopie:'
oh he replied, Il aim to- aim to.
The last man | robbed was a member OF
| congress"
1t is needless to say that the governor
did not pardon him. He served his term
| has since served term in the Eastern
penitentiary of Pennsylvania, and is I'M
derstood now TO be in the Virginia peni
Tertiary at Richmond. - international
Record.